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Biomedical subjects

J V Bertouch

Publications and source records attributed to J V Bertouch.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1988

Idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis presenting with back pain.

We describe 2 cases of idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis presenting with back pain. Additional features included weight loss, constitutional symptoms and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). One patient had sacroiliitis and was HLA-B27 positive. A further finding was obstruction of the superior mesenteric artery which has not been previously described in retroperitoneal fibrosis. The importance of considering idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis in the differential diagnosis of back pain has not been emphasized in the rheumatological literature.

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PubMed1986

Methylprednisolone infusion therapy in rheumatoid arthritis patients. The effect on synovial fluid lymphocyte subsets and inflammatory indices.

Paired samples of synovial fluid (SF) and blood were obtained prior to and at 4 and 24 hours following high-dose methylprednisolone infusion therapy in a group of patients with refractory rheumatoid arthritis. After therapy there was a significant decrease in numbers of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, lymphocytes, immune complexes, and C-reactive protein in the SF. Measurement of lymphocyte subsets, using monoclonal antibodies, revealed that at 4 hours postinfusion, there was a disproportionate decrease in the percentage of SF lymphocytes expressing class II antigens (HLA-DR or Ia-like). These data suggest that glucocorticoids induce rapid changes in SF indices of disease activity and may directly influence T cell activation within the rheumatoid joint.

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PubMed1984

Neutrophil activation by immune complexes and the role of rheumatoid factor.

Membrane activation of human neutrophils by preformed immune complexes and heat aggregated human gammaglobulins was studied by chemiluminescence. Strong neutrophil activation was found with human-albumin rabbit-antialbumin complexes prepared at equivalence, with maximal activation occurring in slight antigen excess. Furthermore different preparations of heat aggregated gammaglobulin which were of large size also showed similar activity. In contrast, heat aggregates of small size were inactive and blocked the chemiluminescent response found with larger active aggregates. A purified monoclonal rheumatoid factor with specificity for IgG modulated these responses when preincubated with preformed complexes or aggregates. Both enhancement of the neutrophil chemiluminescence response with inactive preparations and suppression of the response with highly active preparations were observed. Kinetic studies of the neutrophil chemiluminescent response varied with respect to the activating preparation, but were generally biphasic. This observation suggested an initial direct membrane activation followed by a more delayed response reflecting phagocytosis of complexes. We have demonstrated the direct activation of neutrophil chemiluminescence by laboratory preparations of immune complexes. The chemiluminescent responses observed were influenced by both the size and immunochemical properties of the activating complexes and by the presence of rheumatoid factor. These observations may have important implications in the immunopathogenesis of immune-complex-mediated diseases.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Lymphocyte subsets and inflammatory indices in synovial fluid and blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Lymphocyte subsets defined by monoclonal antibodies, C reactive protein (CRP), immune complexes (IC), rheumatoid factor (RF), C3, C4 and neutrophil and lymphocyte numbers were measured in synovial fluid (SF) and blood samples from 11 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. SF showed an increased percentage of T cells, Ia+ cells and OKT8+ cells and a reduced percentage of B cells and OKT4+ cells, when compared with blood. Reduced levels of CRP, RF, C3 and C4 were found in SF compared with blood. Comparisons between cellular subsets and other indices in SF revealed a positive correlation between neutrophil numbers and IC, CRP, and RF with a negative correlation between neutrophil numbers and numbers of T cells and OKT8+ cells. A similar negative correlation was found in blood between OKT8+ cells and both CRP and RF. These results indicate an association between increasing disease activity and a lack of suppressor/cytotoxic cells in both circulating and intraarticular compartments. An additional important finding was the lack of correlation of Ia+ cells in both SF and blood with neutrophil numbers, CRP, IC, C3 and C4 or RF.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Computed tomography of paraspinal musculature in ankylosing spondylitis.

Computed tomography (CT) was used to delineate the paraspinal musculature in 14 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Abnormal atrophy of the erector spinae muscles and multifidi was demonstrated in all 8 patients with total bony ankylosis of the spine, but was not present in those with isolated syndesmophyte formation, vertebral squaring alone or sacroiliac joint ankylosis with normal spinal radiographs. There was a significant positive correlation between a CT score of paravertebral muscle wasting and clinical parameters of disease duration and restriction of spinal mobility. Wasting and asymmetry of the psoas muscles was seen in 3 patients with unilateral hip joint involvement. These findings suggest that a relationship exists between decreased or absent spinal movement and atrophy of the paraspinal musculature in AS.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Diurnal variation of lymphocyte subsets identified by monoclonal antibodies.

Monoclonal antibodies specific for lymphocyte subsets were used to examine circulating lymphocytes obtained at frequent intervals from healthy subjects. A diurnal rhythm was found in the total numbers of lymphocytes, T cells, inducer/helper cells, suppressor/cytotoxic cells, Ia positive cells, and B cells. The lowest levels of all subsets were seen at 0900 hours and the highest levels at 2100. In some subjects the ratio of helper to suppressor cells varied considerably during the sample period, though the ratio was relatively constant for the group as a whole.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

A comparison of plasma methylprednisolone concentrations following intra-articular injection in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Plasma concentrations of methylprednisolone following intra-articular injection were measured in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis patients. While substantial plasma concentrations were seen in both groups of patients there was no significant difference in the rate or extent of absorption of methylprednisolone from osteoarthritic or rheumatoid knees. This study suggests that it is the dissolution rate of the steroid formulation rather than the characteristics of the synovial membrane which determine rate and extent of systemic absorption of methylprednisolone after intra-articular injection.

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